It’s not too often I hear one of my clients in their forties or fifties say, “I absolutely love my hair!”  That’s because the aging process naturally thins out our hair, makes it more brittle and less forgiving to harsh treatments.  But never fear; there are lots of ways to minimize your hair’s aging and even a few tricks to revitalize it back to its youthful form.  Let’s talk about some of those industry secrets now-

Create a Great Daily Hair Care Routine

For starters, you are probably breaking almost every single hair-care rule in the rulebook without realizing it– the industry does a very poor job of educating us gals on maintaining our silky lox.  So here’s a daily routine I want you to start following as closely as possible-

• Thoroughly brush your hair before getting in the shower to clear tangles
• Stay clear of washing your hair with hot water- wash with warm, rinse with cool
• Do not wrap your hair in a towel afterwards or blow dry it with high heat
• Try not to shampoo your hair every day and always use a quality leave-in conditioner
• Avoid super-clingy hair products…the alcohol dries out your hair
• Don’t excessively brush or style your hair immediately after showers
• Avoid shampoos with DEA, TEA, sodium sulfate, formaldehyde, alcohol, petroleum or ammonium in the ingredients

Now, that may seem like a lot to take in at once, but you’re breaking generations of poor hair-care habits in the span of a single day.  So some of the above advice may sting momentarily…but it will pass.

Learn the Proper Timing for Hair Styling

Here’s why this advice is so important- when you clean your hair with most shampoos, you’re essentially stripping away its number one mechanism against aging.  Which in itself is not a problem; your hair will generate more protective oils.  But then you hit it with a one-two punch by wrapping your hair in a towel, blow-drying it on high settings and/or brushing it right after getting out of the shower.  This is when your hair is the most vulnerable, so you want to make the process as gentle as possible.  Curling irons are also a definite no-no except for very special occasions.

Likewise, adding styling gel to the mix right after a hot shower will dry out your hair even more.  So get in the habit of using a leave-in conditioner that counter-acts this process.  The same goes for bleaching or dying your hair; I do not advise it for women over 40.  But if you must color your hair frequently, then the above tips are at least 3-5 times more important.

On the other hand, a haircut every six weeks is a healthy choice since it eliminates split ends and reduces the workload of keeping our hair looking its best.

Eat Your Way to Healthier, Fuller Hair

I know, I know…you’re probably wondering why I have to bring up diet in almost every single advice column that I share with you.  But let me ask you this.  If you were cooking pancakes for a Sunday family breakfast and you were out of butter or vegetable oil, would you cook the pancakes in mayonnaise instead?  How about ranch dressing or dishwashing soap?

Of course you wouldn’t.

My point here is that your hair follicles rely on minerals like vitamin C, vitamin E, vitamin B3 and B7 to naturally regenerate.  There are no substitutes.  Even when these ingredients are infused in some of your favorite hair care products, they cannot deliver anywhere the same level of nutrients that a handful of grapes or a nectarine could provide.  So try to include at least four daily servings of fruits and vegetables in your regular diet, plus supplement those snack-time hungers with one of Mother Nature’s finest creations.

Did you learn anything new here today?  Did I miss a few important tips?  If so, tell us about it in the comments section below.  While I’m always happy to provide advice, only you can make this a true community.